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June 1, 2014

'Five Mystical Songs' by Ralph Vaughan Williams with words by George Herbert

George Herbert - Courtesy of Wikipedia

Five Mystical Songsis a song cycle by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958). Written between 1906 and 1911, it was commissioned by the Three Choirs Festival in Worcester, where it debuted in 1911 with Vaughan Williams conducting. The work is a setting of four poems ('Easter' is divided in two) by George Herbert (1593–1633). They were published posthumously in 1633 as part of the collection, The Temple. None of Herbert's poems were published during his lifetime and much of his other writings are believed to have been lost as a result of the English Civil War (1642–1651). Though born of noble parentage, a facility member at Cambridge, and a Member of Parliament; he left these things and chose the life of a humble country clergyman of the Church of England as his vocation. He died of tuberculosis at the age of 39. All four poems (Easter, Love, The Call, and Antiphon) are included in the Religious Poetry Appendix of the Divine Office (1974).

Rise heart; thy Lord is risen. Sing his praise
Without delayes,
Who takes thee by the hand, that thou likewise
With him mayst rise:
That, as his death calcined thee to dust,
His life may make thee gold, and much more, just.
Awake, my lute, and struggle for thy part
With all thy art.
The crosse taught all wood to resound his name,
Who bore the same.
His stretched sinews taught all strings, what key
Is best to celebrate this most high day.

Consort both heart and lute, and twist a song
Pleasant and long:
Or, since all musick is but three parts vied
And multiplied,
O let thy blessed Spirit bear a part,
And make up our defects with his sweet art.

2. I GOT ME FLOWERS ('Easter' - Part II)

I got me flowers to strew thy way;
I got me boughs off many a tree:
But thou wast up by break of day,
And brought’st thy sweets along with thee.

The Sunne arising in the East,
Though he give light, and th’ East perfume;
If they should offer to contest
With thy arising, they presume.

Can there be any day but this,
Though many sunnes to shine endeavour?
We count three hundred, but we miss:
There is but one, and that one ever.

'A guest,' I answer'd, 'worthy to be here';
Love said, 'You shall be he.'
'I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee.'
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
'Who made the eyes but I?'

'Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.'
'And know you not,' says Love, "who bore the blame?'
'My dear, then I will serve.'
'You must sit down,' says Love, "and taste my meat.'
So I did sit and eat.

4. THE CALL

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
Such a Way, as gives us breath:
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:
Such a Life, as killeth death.

Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast:
Such a Feast, as mends in length:
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part:
Such a Heart, as joyes in love.

5. ANTIPHON

Chorus: Let all the world in ev’ry corner sing,
My God and King.

Verse: The heav’ns are not too high,
His praise may thither flie:
The earth is not too low,
His praises there may grow.

Chorus: Let all the world in ev’ry corner sing,
My God and King.

Verse: The church with psalms must shout,
No doore can keep them out:
But above all, the heart
Must bear the longest part.

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"The hymns and litanies of the Liturgy of the Hours integrate the prayer of the psalms into the age of the Church, expressing the symbolism of the time of day, the liturgical season, or the feast being celebrated." - #1177. Catechism of the Catholic Church "A very ancient tradition gives hymns the place in the office that they still retain. By their mystical and poetic character they are specifically designed for God's praise. But they also are an element for the people; in fact more often than the other parts of the office the hymns bring out the proper theme of individual hours or feasts and incline and draw the spirit to a devout celebration." -#173. General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours "To whatever extent may seem desirable, the hymns are to be restored to their original form, and whatever smacks of mythology or ill accords with Christian piety is to be removed or changed. Also, as occasion may arise, let other selections from the treasury of hymns be incorporated." - #93. Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Vatican II)

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